A three-dimensional measuring machine, for example, has been known as a measuring apparatus for measuring a surface shape of an object to be measured by contacting with the surface thereof. Japanese Patent No. 4417114 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Literature 1) describes a three-dimensional measuring machine employing a measuring probe that comes into contact with an object to be measured to detect the surface shape thereof. The measuring probe illustrated in Patent Literature 1 includes: a stylus having a contact part to be in contact with (a surface of) an object to be measured; an axial motion mechanism including a moving member that allows the contact part to move in a central axis direction (also referred to as a Z direction or an axial direction O) of the measuring probe; and a rotary motion mechanism including a rotating member that allows the contact part to move along a surface perpendicular to the Z direction by means of rotary motion. In Patent Literature 1, the axial motion mechanism and the rotary motion mechanism are connected in series and their directions in which the contact part of the stylus can move are set to be different from each other.